The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1887-04-29
TEMPERANCE.
OFFICIAL STATISTICS.

In the quarterly report of the United
States Bureau of Statistics, just issued,
there are over twenty pages devoted to
statistics of the amount of rum, in all
its forms, consumed in the United
States. Our news columns contain a
summary of the article. We wish,
however, to call the attention of our
readers to the elaborate calculations
made by Mr.. F. N. Barrett, the editor
of the american Grocer. New York, as
to the actual cost to the drinkers of the
total amount of rum annually con-
sumed in the United States. This
statement is embodied in the report
mentioned above, and receives the in
dorsement of the chief of the bureau as
to the correctness OF Mr.. Barrett's
figures.
Mr.. Barrett arrives at the same con-
clusion as does that high authority,
Mr.. Edward Atkinson, that the total
sum spent by the consumers of alco-
holic poison in th.e United States every
year reaches the Ell ormous amount of
500, 100000. To re2ch this result,
Mr.. Barrett uses the offic. al tlgures tur-
nished by the Government of the total
consumption of both domestic and i'm
ported distilled spirits, beer am malt
liquors, and imported and don't site
wines for the past three years-froln
1884 to 1886 inclusive-and takes the
average of each to represent the annual
consumption. The statement thus ar
rived at is as follows:
Dlstllieo spirits ................... $4,000
Beer and malt liquors ........... 609 705 367
imported wines Observation-Disclosures. T. 100, 664
Domestic wines NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 1891, 1868
As regards spirltuous liquors, Mr.
Barrett allows ten per cent. for spirits
and alcohol used in the arts and manu-
features, which is the proportion con-
sumed in this way, according to the
opinion of the officials of the Govern
ment But against this he puts the
adulteration by water, etc. He SAYS:
We find, however, that after whisky has left
the bonded warehouse in pure state it is
blended with pure neutral spirits, during which
process small quantity of water is added, the
mixture being colored, usually, by caramel of
burnt sugar. Then again it is further reduced
blythe retailer. In the better class of bar-rooms
whisky is drunk comparatively pure; in cheap
saloons it is adulterated by water 10 to Is per
cent; in country districts sometimes as high as
rs to 30 per cent. In view Of this reduction by
water, assume that it cancels fully the quaint
ty used in the arts and manufactures, and that
the consumer pays for IS OO0 900 gallons If So at
what cost? The bulk of the whisky consumed
costs the drinker five cents per glass; some pay
ten cents, comparatively few, fifteen cents.
liberal average would be seven and one-h half
cents. On the average the retail dealer will
get Gu drinks per gallon, or $780, The average
wholesale cost is 81. 25; the cost of high wines
or spirits, S1.15 to S1.2O.
Taking the above facts into consideration, we
then have consumed annually 75,0 600 900 gallons
WHISTLES; 20 drinks per gallon, at ~, or $3.50
per gallon, making total cost of 1891, 500, 900.
He fixes the cost of beer and malt
liquors to the consumer at so cents per
gallon. He is led to fix this figure by
the following considerations:
The wholesale price per barrel is IS for 80 gall
Ions, or 25 cents per gallon. In the pool dis
trict, embracing New York, Brooklyn, West
chester, Richmond and Hudson counties, 400O,-
OOo barrels are consumed, netting the brewer
$3.50 per barrel, as rebate of 25 per cent is
given from the regular price, Froth plays
large part in estimating the cost to the con-
sumner. In densely-populated districts the re-
taller OF beer has hard work to get cost.
working the growler literally means that
the poorer classes of consumers get beer at the
wholesale price Then there is difference in
classes. The schooner" means more beer for
five cents than is obtained when a glass of beer
is served. large quantity is consumed at pic
MICS, on excursions at clubs, and on various
festival occasions which costs the consumer
the wholesale price. This will more than bal
ance the extra cost of the imported article
After careful study Of these points we feel
convinced that so cents per gallon fully repre-
sents the cost to the consumer. On that basis
we have as the expense to the Nation 6O9, 7O5,-
367 gallons of beer, at so cents, $780, 6S3.
The cost to the drinker of imported
wines is fixed at 81 per gallon, and of
domestic wines at 81 per gallon. TAX
ing the amounts consumed of each of
these four classes of rum as in the Ia
BILE given above, and we have the cost
as follows:
Distilled liquors observation-disclosures 37 500 900
Beer and malt liquors. 304, 1852 6S3
imported wines '''''...'..'........ l6'402 G56
Total annual cost .................S69 $685. 538 025
Illicit whisky and home made pines. 975
s7Oo,OOOOOO
By curious and complex calculation
Mr.. Barrett reaches the conclusion
that, estimating the population at
$780, 900 in 1886, there are Il, 925, All
,,aTcoDc Tvho ooDc1,,,1o tbic M, own, ono
amount of rum. This represents 253
per cent. of the total population of the
country-one in every foltr-and the
greater portion of it, by far, is centered
in the cities. This allows to each of
these drinking persons 5.3 gallons of
distilled spirits, 400 gallons of beer
and 1.6 gallons of wine, at cost to
each of $49.34 per year. The average
in the country is $11.95 per year.
The actual cost of the rum which is
sold for $700,000000 does not exceed
$500, 100000, affording profit to the
Rum Power per year of $500, 100000,
or 1881 per cent. Pretty good profit!
And it is in this enormous profit that
we find the bitter opposition of the sa-
loonists and other dealers in the infer
nal stuff to any and all efforts on the
part of the people to put stop to the
damnable trade.
In this connection it will be interest
ing to repeat the figures of the annual
drink bill of Great Britain for 1886, as
carefully prepared by DR.. Dawson
Burns, and published in recent issue
of the London Times. He makes the
total estimated expenditure for the past
two years as follows: 1885, e123, $685.
9O6; 1886, 9122, 905, 785. Reduced to
American money, these sums are, in
round numbers: for 1885, $615, 900, 900;
for 1886, 500, 900, 900. The decrease
for the year is 9363, 121. The decrease
is steadily progressive. Ten years ago
the drink bill reached its maximum
when it stood at 9147, 288,759. Fad that
rate been maintained, taking into ac-